As for AVB, his skills are actually fine. Kicking is not elite, but he's smart and makes the right decisions. Maybe revisit some of the games he featured in this year. Suggesting they're 'not even close' to AFL standard is complete tripe. My argument is that AVB is a more complete player as far as measuring 'footballing specific' skills go.

Whilst he is not considered an elite user of the ball or 'runner', he has a much more well-rounded and even group of football-specific attributes which make a player who is able to impact regularly. Part of the reason we got so many draft picks wrong over those years was because we picked players who had one or two 'standout' or 'elite' attributes but the rest were less than impressive.

Blease

Morton

Strauss

Maric

Cook

Watts

All of these guys possessed one or two 'specialised' attributes and the rest were questionable.

Our recruiting under the new guard has seen us draft players with a much greater balance of attributes.

What you are saying 'steve' is AVB is a footballer...you can't have enough of them I reckon.

Talking within the context of an AFL player's average time in the game, no it can't be changed much.

Spencer for example. Fitzpatrick, McKenzie, Bail, Garland, McDonald etc...

Several years ago Richmond embarked on a program to improve the field kicking of their side after they identified low hard passes as a key feature of the top sides. We saw very notable improvement in their fringe players a they adjusted to the new method of kicking. It didn't take them the length of a player's career, or even half. It took a couple of years to see a drastic improvement across the board. There is absolutely no reason we can't do the same thing.

TAC Cup Finals Wrap: Week One Review

Curnow and Parish both played well in losing sides.

Weitering and Collins continue to impress.

Tomorrow is TAC Cup Semi Final day and I'm declaring my interest in two midfielders. Darcy Parish from Geelong Falcons is pretty well known by draft watchers by now while Clayton Oliver, who was best for the Bushies in their narrow loss to the Stingrays last week, is climbing up the ratings on the back of some impressive recent form.

Here are the teams for the two games to be played at IKON Park (better known as Princes Park in Royal Parade, Parkville, former home of this year's wooden spooners).

Murray Bushrangers v Oakleigh Chargers

Sunday September 13th

IKON Park at 11.15am

Murray Bushrangers

B: Tiziani B Sharp McDonald

HB: Morrison Coughlan Cousins

C: Mennen Oliver Garthwaite

HF: Canfield Schache Tanner

F: Brodie McMullan Waite

FOLL: King Simpkin Payne

I/C (from) Battista Carroll Minogue McKeown R Sharp B Smith L Smith Sproule

Oakleigh Chargers

B: Hooper Firns Byrne-Jones

HB: Beddison McLarty T Phillips

C: Duman Answerth Pearce

HF: Johnstone Crocker P Phillips

F: Lane Thompson Wooller

FOLL: Wenn Cuningham Sullivan

I/C (from) Adduci Jackson Kerr Larkey Ridley Walker Whitehead

Murray's KPF Josh Schache who is likely to go first or second in the draft is also on show in this game.

Semi Final

Geelong Falcons v Eastern Ranges

Sunday September 13th

IKON Park at 2.00pm

Geelong Falcons

B: Doedee Rieniets Witherden

HB: McCarthy McNamara Sexton

C: Dowling Mathieson Augerinos

HF: Wagener Zdybel Kol

F: Bennett Blair Curnow

FOLL: Elliot Parish Connors

I/C (from): Blood Kershaw Killen Holroyd McCartney

Schilder Sheahan

Eastern Ranges

B: Gallucci Keppel Brolic

HB: Cotte Maibaum D Clarke

C: Parsons R Clarke Harvey

HF: Cerra Hannon Crocker

F: Brown Hardwick Collins

FOLL: Mitchener Batty Jeffs

I/C (from) Cyster Davies Horner Jacotine McCormack Stanley Stavrou Stephenson

Geelong's Rhys Mathieson and Charlie Curnow are both likely to gather interest from this game.

It's close at half time in the TAC Cup - the Chargers lead the Bushies by 4.6.30 to 3.9.27.

Josh Schache who is known as an accurate kick for goal has scored 0.3 but Clayton Oliver has scored a goal.

Oakleigh Chargers eliminate the Murray Bushrangers from the finals with an exciting 6 point win. Bushies goaled on the siren but they were outplayed in the third quarter when it really counted. Schache finished with two goals.

Murray Bushrangers 2.4 3.9 5.12 9.13 (67)

Oakleigh Chargers 2.4 4.6 7.10 10.13 (73)

GOALS:

Murray Bushrangers: Oliver 2 Schache 2 Smith Tiziani Payne McMullan Smith

Oakleigh Chargers: Phillips 2 Walker 2 Byrne-Jones Thompson Kerr Ridley Lane Cuningham

BEST:

Murray Bushrangers: Tiziani Oliver Waite Schache Payne Brodie

Oakleigh Chargers: Byrne-Jones Answerth Beddison Walker Phillips Firns

At half time, the Eastern Ranges 7.3 45 are heading for an upset win over the Geelong Falcons 3.6 24.

Ranges lead by 5 goals at 3/4 time and look like causing another upset on semi final day.

Darcy Parish and Rhys Mathieson have both accumulated a lot of the footy and show some polish, Curnow has been off target with his kicking but the player who has really caught the eye is Ryan Clarke of the Ranges. If he repeats today's performance in the next game, he could be a real bolter in the draft.

Eastern Ranges are in to the Preliminary Final against the Dandenong Stingrays after a 10 goal win over Geelong Falcons.

Geelong Falcons 1.4 3.6 4.12 6.14 (50)

Eastern Ranges 4.0 7.3 10.8 15.14 (104)

GOALS:

Geelong Falcons: McCartney 2 Kol Mathieson Blair Wagener

Eastern Ranges: Hardwick 3 Brolic 2 Stephenson 2 Collins D Clarke Mitchener Cerra Cotte Gallucci Cyster Hannon

BEST:

Geelong Falcons: Doedee Witherden Wagener Connors McNamara Kershaw

Eastern Ranges: R Clarke D Clarke Maibaum Collins Mitchener Parsons

... I'm declaring my interest in two midfielders. Darcy Parish from Geelong Falcons is pretty well known by draft watchers by now while Clayton Oliver, who was best for the Bushies in their narrow loss to the Stingrays last week, is climbing up the ratings on the back of some impressive recent form.

My mail was good.

Oliver was announced winner of this year's Morrish Medal for TAC Cup best and fairest tonight.

The kid is strongly built in the Ollie Wines mould and is a ball magnet. In one game this year he picked up 27 disposals and six clearances and for good measure, he booted six goals not bad for a midfielder. He also played a couple of games for Richmond VFL and was named in their best against Sandringham Zebras.

TAC Cup Team of the Year

B: Bailey Rice (Dandenong Stingrays) Kieran Collins (Dandenong Stingrays) Nick Coughlan (Murray Bushrangers)

HB: Nick OKearney (Calder Cannons) Jacob Weitering (Dandenong Stingrays) Jarrod Berry (North Ballarat Rebels)

C: Tom Phillips (Oakleigh Chargers) Jade Gresham (Northern Knights) Darcy Parish (Geelong Falcons)

HF: Harley Balic (Sandringham Dragons) Callum Moore (Calder Cannons) Rhys Mathieson (Geelong Falcons)

F: Blake Hardwick (Eastern Ranges) Joshua Schache (Murray Bushrangers) Ben Ainsworth (Gippsland Power)

FOLL: Gach Nyuon (Dandenong Stingrays) Jacob Hopper (North Ballarat Rebels) Ryan Clarke (Eastern Ranges)

I/C: Tom Cole (Bendigo Pioneers) Ben Crocker (Oakleigh Chargers) Lachie Tardrew (Bendigo Pioneers) Clayton Oliver (Murray Bushrangers) Nash Holmes (Gippsland Power) Darcy Tucker (North Ballarat Rebels)

TAC Cup Coaches Award - Jade Gresham (Northern Knights)

My mail was good.

Oliver was announced winner of this year's Morrish Medal for TAC Cup best and fairest tonight.

The kid is strongly built in the Ollie Wines mould and is a ball magnet. In one game this year he picked up 27 disposals and six clearances and for good measure, he booted six goals not bad for a midfielder. He also played a couple of games for Richmond VFL and was named in their best against Sandringham Zebras.

Doing a bit of work for the under 16s MB and having seen a couple of games this year personally I think he has risen straight into top 20 now. He is an absolute beast and as you said loves to push forward and kick goals.

Would love for us to nab him because he would compliment our up and coming tough brigade in Brayshaw Viney Salem Kent Hogan Petracca Harmes ANB

Ranges lead by 5 goals at 3/4 time and look like causing another upset on semi final day.

Darcy Parish and Rhys Mathieson have both accumulated a lot of the footy and show some polish, Curnow has been off target with his kicking but the player who has really caught the eye is Ryan Clarke of the Ranges. If he repeats today's performance in the next game, he could be a real bolter in the draft.

Clarke's been metronomic with his ball winning this season. Was another excellent performance from him today.

Dynamic at the clearances and is very good with his run and carry. I think the knock on him had been his inside work and polish by foot. Haven't really been issues in the games I've seen him play for Eastern (wasn't as prolific for Metro), that's two very good finals performances under the belt.

TAC Cup Finals Wrap: Week Two Review

Tomorrow is Preliminary Final Day with Dandenong and North Ballarat going in as warm favourites. I might go down and have a look at some stage and if I do, I will try to keep you updated on the games and the players likely to feature in draft calculations.

Dandenong Stingrays vs Eastern Ranges

Saturday September 19th

IKON Park at 11.15am

Dandenong Stingrays

B: Glen Collins Capiron

HB: Rice Weitering White

C: Jok Holden Mutimer

HF: Roscoe Freeman Williams

F: Battle Young Gladman

FOLL: Nyuon Lovett Batten

I/C: Bubb Cox Di Pasquale Hulett McKay Poholke Pickess Prior Z Rouse

Eastern Ranges

B: Stanley Maibaum Keppel

HB: Cotte Collins Brolic

C Jacotine R Clarke Harvey

HF: Cerra Jeffs D Clarke

F: Crocker Hannon Hardwick

FOLL: Mitchener Batty Gallucci

I/C: Brown Cyster Garner Davies Horner McCormack Prosser Stavrou Stephenson

Preliminary Final

North Ballarat v Oakleigh Chargers

Saturday September 19th

IKON Park at 2.00pm

North Ballarat

B: Simpson Dawborn Lloyd

HB: Webster Cleary Tucker

C: Wellings Hopper Templeton

HF: Eades Korewha McCluggage

F: Rioli Hausler Johnston

FOLL: Meek Cowan Taurau

I/C Byrne Frank Drew Lee Lusby Symons Wheelahan Williamson

Oakleigh Chargers

B: McLarty Firns Byrne-Jones

HB: Hooper Beddison Whitehead

C: Pearce Cuningham Duman

HF: Adduci Crocker Lane

F: Johnstone Thompson P Phillips

FOLL: Wenn Sullivan Answerth

I/C: Jackson Kerr Larkey T Phillips Ridley Roughsedge Walker

The obvious stand out among the two teams is Jacob Weitering who looks bound for Carlton unless the Blues do something really stupid. Here's an article that I found on him - He plays at the back but leads from the front

Couldn't make it to the game today but Eastern Ranges have starred the better and lead at quarter time by 9 points with Ryan Clarke dominating the middle for 11 disposals, three clearances, two score involvements.

Couldn't make it to the game today but Eastern Ranges have starred the better and lead at quarter time by 9 points with Ryan Clarke dominating the middle for 11 disposals, three clearances, two score involvements.

Clarke is a gun, his back half of the year has been nothing short of inspirational. Why hasn't he been touted as a top echelon selection?

Half time and Eastern Ranges 6.6.42 lead Dandenong Stingrays 3.3.21.

Clarke still accumulating possessions and Callum Brown has three goals. Lovett getting a few touches.

Clarke is a gun, his back half of the year has been nothing short of inspirational. Why hasn't he been touted as a top echelon selection?

Questions over his kicking, but I've not seen any major issues, sometimes bites off more than he can chew with high risk kicks. he could move to the fringes of the 10 if he keeps going like this.

Questions over his kicking, but I've not seen any major issues, sometimes bites off more than he can chew with high risk kicks. he could move to the fringes of the 10 if he keeps going like this.

Sam Blease...

Another upset looming with the Eastern Ranges 31 points ahead at 3/4 time. The Ranges kicked the only goal for the term and both teams were inaccurate. The Stingrays would have been in far worse strife without Weitering and Collins in defence.

And just to prove why he's the main contender for the #1 pick, Weitering is moved to full forward and kicks two quick goals early I the final quarter.

Ryan Clarke ices the game with a goal to put the game beyond the Stingrays.

And that's it - a 28 point win to the Ranges (Christian Petracca's team) which last won the flag in 2013.

Dandenong Stingrays 2.0 3.3 3.5 5.7 (37)

Eastern Ranges 3.3 6.6 7.12 8.17 (65)

GOALS:

Dandenong Stingrays: Weitering 2 Mutimer Collins Gladman

Eastern Ranges: Brown 3 Stephenson 3 Clarke Hardwick

BEST:

Dandenong Stingrays: Capiron Weitering Rice Williams McKay Collins

Eastern Ranges: Clarke Cotte Brolic Keppel Brown Batty

North Ballarat Rebels 3.0.18 lead the inaccurate Oakleigh Chargers 2.3.15 at quarter time in the second game.

At half time North Ballarat has increased its lead to 2 goals.